Friday, 23 December 2011

I'm feeling very excited about Christmas right now! It can't come soon enough! I have been doing lots of Christmassy things and watching lots of Christmassy films. This year Henry and I wrote a list of films that we were going to watch in December and we managed to watch almost all of them! On our list was: Lost in Translation (I wouldn't actually class this as a Christmassy film but Henry seemed to think it was) The Hogfather (I love love love the Hogfather!) Love Actually, How the Grinch stole Christmas and more that I can't rememeber. We didn't get round to watching the tailor of Gloucester or the Snowman. But I will definitely try to watch the Snowman sometime tomorrow because its one of my very favourite christmas films and it's kind of a tradition to watch it every year.

I decorated this gingerbread house:

Can't wait to bite into that chocolate button roof!

And I've done lots of festive shopping. While I was shopping in Cambridge the other day I spotted this wonderful packaging for a Paddington Bear cup and plate. It was based on the old animations of Paddington Bear which were done using stop motion and characters drawn on cut out paper. People often say to me that my 3d illustration work reminds them of the old Paddington Bear animations.

In case you've never seen any of the old Padidngton Bear animations here are some stills from it. I absolutely love it, (it's so charming!) and want to get the dvd at some point.

Also whilst out in town the other day I came across this cute little book called 'Tat the Cat, A Winters Tale,' by Bill and Audrey Titcombe in a charity shop. I snapped it up right away. It was only 30 p! I love the characterful illustrations. Just look at the eyelashes on those duckies!

So now I am sitting by the tree and writing this and feeling too excited to go to bed. It's not even Christmas Eve yet! I don't know whats come over me. I feel like a little kid. Also there's no Henry here right now to tell me that it's late and time to go to bed. He's gone back home to see his family for a few days. I miss him.

Well I should probably wrap this up now. If I don't post again before the 25th, have a wonderful sparkling GLITTERING CHRISTMAS!

Monday, 19 December 2011

Every year (because she's in charge of such things) my grandmother asks me to do a different picture for the front of the carol service booklet. This is what I came up with this year:

I wanted all the little characters to have different personalities. In the middle is the enjoying-being-in-the-limelight star. To the left is the disorganised little angel with her legs crossed because she needs the toilet. Further left is the oblivious reindeer who's possibly eaten too may Christmas chocolates and is now hyper. To the right are the two sheep who seem mesmerised by the attention seeking star and further right is the reindeer who's extremely curious about what's in those wrapped up boxes.

Here we have the two shepherds. One good and one naughty.

And lastly the three kings, skipping across the stage to give their gifts to the baby jesus.

I really enjoyed doing this drawing, it was a nice break from all my uni work.

Saturday, 17 December 2011

I've changed my blog header! For the first time ever! What do you think?

Over the past few days I have been experimenting with re-making my Christmas card design in 3d. I don't know why but whenever I do a drawing nowadays I can't resist trying it in 3d too. I'm addicted!

This is the 3d version (as seen in my new header!):

And the original version (minus glitter):

Which do you prefer?

It was the tutu skirt that swung it for me. I kept envisioning Victoria Stitch's black dress/skirt made from a load of scrunched up black netting like a tutu. I just HAD to try it. And I love it how it came out!

The white Christmas tree is made from pipe cleaners and glitter. It had little diamonds and stars stuck onto it. I also had a lot of fun making the tiny little presents and sparkly angel and striped bag. I think I am addicted to making tiny things!

I wonder what's in all those packages? I think there might be a tiny pair of glittery shoes in one of them. And the round one has to be a tin of chocolates.

While I was photographing the scene I noticed that in some of them the shadows were really long. So I took some shadow photos! I think they look pretty cool.

I've been having a lot of fun with glitter recently. And sequins! Christmas = glitter and sequins! Actually anytime = glitter and sequins for me. But I've been using them especially lately for my Christmas cards. Oh it makes me happy!

Yesterday Henry and I went into town to do some shopping. I wore my new dalmatian print coat. It's so soft and warm! I love it. It makes me feel like Cruella D'eville!

We bought some christmas presents, some food and I got some winter boots because my other ones have worn down and the heels are all wonky. Henry tried on lots of glasses in Claire's accessories. It was a nice day.

Friday, 16 December 2011

I used Henry's dead bonsai tree for the autumnal tree outside the window. Everything else is made from paper and fabric, a few beads for the drawer knobs and some silver foil for the tap and pans.

Right now I am sitting in the sitting room with the Christmas tree and outside snowflakes are falling from the sky. Its feels very Christmassy and wintery. Henry and I might go sledging later as long as it settles properly.

And now here are a few more pictures of the puppies. I said I would post some more. They are all getting so big now and bouncing around and playing. They're all developing little personalities too. There's one whose fur sticks up at all different angles and whose really messy. My Grandmother has christened her Scruffbag. And then there's Big Boy who was the first born and who is bigger than all the others. Oh they're all so cute I want one myself! I don't think Barney would be too happy if we got a puppy though. He watches them all from a distance with a confused look on his little furry face.

In fact these photos were all taken a little while back so the pupsters are all bigger and fluffier than this now. Will probably post even more soon!

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

If YOU would like a Christmas card from Victoria Stitch (and live in the UK) then just drop me an email (harrietmuncaster(at)hotmail(dot)com) with your name and address. And one will magically wing it's way to you in an envelope full of sequins!

Sunday, 11 December 2011

three more images from my book! ^ It's so satisfying to see them finished. More to come! They are all made entirely from card and bits of fabric and the occasional bit of wire to make things stand up etc. I made the rainbow panels in the door by sticking those cellophane quality street (or was it Roses? I can't remember) wrappers onto the diamond shapes. I like the pattern on the wall that it makes.

It's been a busy weekend. On Friday Henry and I went to my cousins 21st party which was a family kind of thing with party games (pass the parcel yesss!) and a cheese fondue. Yum! My Aunt made this amazing chocolate cake with two tiers and white roses:

Yum again!

On Saturday Henry and I drove up to Derby to visit his mum and put up her Christmas decorations. Baubles and tinsel galore! I really love the greeny coloured baubles. I've never really entertained the idea of green baubles on a Christmas tree before (we usually have red and gold decorations) but I think they look really nice. One day I'd like to decorate a tree with only green baubles. All different shades of green of course.

I feel very Christmassy now! Hopefully I will go and get our tree tomorrow.

Friday, 9 December 2011

So now it is time for me to show you what I have been up to these past nine weeks or so! This is my latest project and I have been creating it by making 3d paper models and photographing them.

So without further ado (drum roll please!) here are the first two images from my latest book!

They have both been created purely from card and bits of fabric and a tiny bit of wire and glitter here and there. I feel so relieved because I have been working on the images for this book for so long and so intensely but I finally have all the inside pictures finished. I still need to do the front cover and work on the text and facing pages in the book (someone in the crit yesterday suggested putting it into a photo album format, narrated by the little cat girl character which I may try out) but for now I am going to give it a little break. I'm going to put it aside for a couple of weeks and work on the images for my young fiction book instead. Which is about Victoria Stitch. Yay!

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Today I had the last crit of my MA course. It was really nice to see everyone's projects in more of a final stage. And all the work was amazing! At the end of the crit we had a little end of term party with wine and nibbles and did a secret santa type thing but instead of buying presents we made Christmas cards. I think it was a really nice idea because it means that everyone on the course can have a little memento of someone elses work. This was the card that I made:

And this was the one that I received from Katie. I was very pleased. You can see her blog here.

I can't believe that I have almost come to the end of the course. I have been in uni so long now (five and a half years) that it's going to be weird when I finally finish for good. I can't wait to start earning proper money though!

Also, on a completely unrelated note, (although maybe not so unrelated as it's still to do with cards and letters and such,) how cute is this tiny post office kit from modcloth!! I want! It's going right on my Christmas list!